Daniel Austin, QMI AGENCY

Jon Jones took a lot of heat for publicly lobbying for a fight with Daniel Cormier instead of stepping back into the octagon for a rematch with Alexander Gustafsson.

This was long before he’d sign on the dotted line for another go-round with the Swede, and well before Gustafsson pulled out and Cormier stepped in. At the time, though, MMA fans took to Twitter, Facebook and whatever other tool they could get their hands on to rip the light-heavyweight champion for dodging Gustafsson.

That sort of reaction has become part and parcel with anything Jones says or does, but he took time to clarify his motivations this week in his typically self-assured way.

“I’m trying to take over the whole game of MMA,” Jones told QMI Agency. “I’ve taken over the greatest Swedish fighter ever to compete; I’ve taken over lots of wrestlers.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is that a rematch with Gustafsson is inevitable. We’re both young and we’re both going to be around for a long t